Now, register and pay passport application at e-sampark centres

If you consider getting a passport made a daunting task, either due to the first step of online appointment or because you have heard of commission agents fleecing people, help is at hand.

The Chandigarh passport office has now provided the facility of getting the online registration for getting new passports at e-sampark centres across the city at a fee of Rs 100. The centre will schedule your online appointment at the passport office and will also help in completing your file for submission. You can also deposit the fee for the passport at the e-sampark centre, saving time on the day of the appointment.

To support the initiative, the passport office staff will train people the employees at the sampark centres.

Speaking to HT, regional passport director Rakesh Aggarwal said, "This move will be very beneficial for residents as most still get agents involved for online registration to get their new passports made. This facility can help residents cut through the hassles of visiting an agent."

Chandigarh is among the select few cities, where the Central government has provided this facility.

Special courts hearing backlog every WednesdayFor more than 6,000 applicants from 2012 and 2013, whose files were rejected for various reasons, the passport office has started special adalats, organised every Wednesday. Around 500 applicants are called and heard, following which a final decision is taken on their cases.

"There has been a great response to these adalats. We have verified and got applicants to submit the missing documents and cleared several cases," adds Rakesh Aggarwal.